GMOA commends President's timely intervention

by Shanika Sriyananda

Government doctors yesterday called off the islandwide strike following President Mahinda Rajapaksa's intervention to solve the issue between the GMOA and the Health - Minister.

In a two-hour meeting, at Temple Trees on Friday, with Health Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva and the members of the Government Medial Officers' Association (GMOA), President Rajapaksa advised Minister de Silva to take steps to look into the demands and maintain a good rapport with the doctors to ensure uninterrupted health service.

GMOA Central Committee member Dr. Upul Gunasekara told the 'Sunday Observer' that the GMOA appreciates President Rajapaksas' intervention and his pledges to solve their problems amidst the prevailing situation in the country.

He said that following the President's intervention, doctors would be paid Rs. 5,000 to Rs. 10,000 monthly to cover their transport and accommodation cost and a committee would be appointed to look into the formation of the Foreign Placement Coordination Centre to deal with foreign jobs and their higher education.

"The Ministry of Health and the Minister did not appreciate the service rendered by the doctors. We have saved thousands of lives and are working round the clock when there is a bomb explosion.

Our health indicators are high among other South Asian countries despite the war. These indicators are equal both in Colombo and Jaffna. These better health indicators are not because of the Minister or his officials but because of the service of the doctors", he said.

Dr. Gunasekara said that instead of appreciating their service Minister de Silva had criticised the doctors not only in Sri Lanka but also in international conferences.

The GMOA described Minister de Silva's actions against the doctors as 'harassments' and according to Dr. Gunasekara, the doctors do not have a sound mentality to carry out their duties due to these harassments. He said that some of the doctors had resigned from the state sector due to harassments.

However, the transport and accommodation allowance which have not been revised for the past 13 years will be revised from July this year. The President had instructed the Minister to implement the National Drug Policy instead of banning prescribing branded products as part of this policy. "President Rajapaksa advised Minister de Silva and his secretary to conduct preliminary investigations in this regard", he said.

The President also instructed the Secretary of the Treasury Dr. P.B. Jayasundera to update the on-call allowance and revise the 2006 circular.

However, the GMOA will decide on future trade union action on January 17 if the Ministry of Health fails to heed President Rajapaksa's instructions.